BACKGROUND
- In 2002, the then Communities Minister promised to review the way that Scottish surveys classify ethnicity, to ensure that they reflect modern circumstances and have community support.
- The new classification is for Scottish Official Statistics and is recommended for Scotland's 2011 Census.
- As the official classification for Scotland, it is likely that it will be adopted by a wide range of organisations across Scotland who wish to collect ethnicity statistics.
- At this stage, the Equality and Human Rights Commission ( EHRC) believes that the process by which Scottish Government ( SG) and the General Register Office for Scotland ( GROS) has developed the new classification is robust. The EHRC will make a full public statement about all UK classifications after the publication of the census White Paper (in England and Wales) and policy statement (in Scotland) about all aspects of the next UK censuses, towards the end of the year.
- The classification was developed with the help of wide consultation and research (including question testing) to ensure that it is based on sound evidence. Most evidence is qualitative rather than quantitative. An extended summary of the key evidence informing the classification is provided at Annex C.
- Since some statistics users want information about the whole of the UK, the classification was developed in consultation with government departments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The classification is intended to reflect Scottish circumstances, but will be harmonised with the rest of the UK to ensure that it will be possible to produce high level ethnicity statistics for Great Britain and the UK.
- The classification has been jointly agreed by the Chief Statistician (responsible for Scottish Official Statistics) and Registrar General (responsible for the census) and was endorsed by Scottish Ministers in May 2008.
- The Scottish Parliament will agree the final content of Scotland's 2011 Census in early 2010.
KEY FEATURES OF THE NEW ETHNICITY CLASSIFICATION
- Scotland's new ethnicity classification is shown on page 6.
- The existing (2001 Census) wording of the ethnic group question will be retained i.e. 'What is your ethnic group?'. Only one response (tick) per person will be permitted and the five categories will be labelled 'A' through to 'E'.
- New tick boxes will be added to the 'White' category for 'English', 'Welsh', 'Northern Irish', 'British', 'Gypsy/Traveller' and 'Polish'.
- The 'Mixed' category will be re-termed 'Mixed or multiple ethnic groups'.
- The 'Black, Black Scottish or Black British' category will be re-worded 'African, Caribbean or Black'. A new tick box will be added for 'Black, Black Scottish or Black British' to give respondents the option to identify in this way if they wish. People who do not wish to identify as 'Black' will not be required to do so and will be able to choose an 'African, African Scottish or African British' or 'Caribbean, Caribbean Scottish or Caribbean British' tick box or to write-in their response.
- Tick boxes under the 'Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British' & 'African, Caribbean or Black' category will be re-worded to add references to 'Scottish' and 'British' e.g. 'Indian, Indian Scottish or Indian British', 'African, African Scottish or African British' etc.
- With the exception of 'Chinese', tick boxes under the 'Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British' category will be re-ordered by population size in Scotland.
A NATIONAL IDENTITY QUESTION
- A national identity question is being developed by GROS, for the census and use in relevant Scottish Official Statistics, where feasible. Results are due in Autumn 2008. Questions tested are here. They are not the final questions and may change substantially after testing.
- This question will provide all respondents with opportunities to say what their national identity is - be that 'Scottish', 'British' or any other national identity - before expressing their ethnicity. This allows people to distinguish between their ethnic origin or heritage and their present sense of national identity.
IMPLEMENTING THE NEW CLASSIFICATION
- Once the national identity question has been finalised in Autumn 2008, the SG will use the new ethnicity and national identity questions in relevant Scottish Official Statistics, where it is feasible to include both questions. In Autumn 2008, the SG will produce official guidance for the collection and classification of ethnicity data, using the new ethnicity and national identity questions. The new questions will be used in GROS's census rehearsal in Spring 2009 and, subject to Parliament's approval, in the 2011 Census.
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